ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Who will open for India along with Rohit Sharma if Shubman Gill doesn't play against Australia

Shubman Gill is likely to miss India's Cricket World Cup 2023 opener against Australia.

Indian team received a jolting news ahead of their ICC Cricket world Cup 2023 encounter against Australia, as their ace opener Shubman Gill is in doubt for the match. This is because he is suffering from a high fever.

India will open their Cricket World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8. The opener is reportedly suffering from dengue, according to reports that surfaced on Friday, October 6. However, the precise nature of Gill's health condition could not be confirmed.

After Gill did not attend India's training sessions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday, the team management was hoping for it to be nothing more than a flu, but that was not to be the case.

"He's under the weather, the medical team is closely monitoring him. We are hoping he gets better soon,” an Indian team official told Cricbuzz.  

Gill is the leading run-getter in ODIs this year with 1230 runs at an average of 72.35 and a strike rate of 105.03. In his last four ODIs, he smashed two centuries and a half-century, two of those knocks coming against Sunday's opponents, Australia.

Ishan Kishan or KL Rahul? Who will open with Rohit Sharma against Australia in Chennai?

If Shubman Gill fails to get fit in time for the Australia match in Chennai, India has the option of bringing in Ishan Kishan. Kishan was picked in the Indian squad for the Cricket World Cup as the second wicket-keeper and third opener.

Though Kishan has batted in the middle order as well in recent matches, his record as an opener is also terrific. Kishan has three half-centuries in five ODIs as an opener this year, to go with an impressive 82 against Pakistan from No. 5.

Another option that India can employ is that of KL Rahul. While KL Rahul has made the No. 5 spot as his own after his comeback from hip surgery and before that, Rahul had started his career as an opener in all formats.

Rahul, who made a comeback from injury during the Asia Cup, last opened in an ODI in August 2022, against Zimbabwe. Overall, he has opened 23 times in ODIs, scoring 915 runs at an average of 43.57.

Ishan Kishan might be given the preference as Indian team management has groomed him as an opener for the past year or so and he brings the left-handed option at the top of the batting order.